You think that's bad, I used to frequent a DNR-owned and managed range that always had someone on staff, and their rules MANDATED that when the range was cleared a ramrod was placed in the barrel of a ML to "prove it was unloaded". I argued with several of the range officers how idiotic it was to mandate placing a large potential projectile in the bore when it did nothing to prove the weapon did not have a live charge in the barrel, but it took over a year to get the rule lifted.

This was the Island Lake range by Kensington Metropark east of Brighton, MI.

Sure, it's a serious question. I'd like to know what kind of quick lesson on range etiquette nchawkeye had in mind to dispense for his fellow shooter. He seemed anxious to share his wisdom; I'm wondering how he would go about it.

why do you ask?

It was a rhetorical question. To me, the answer is quite obvious.... at least the fellow could have been taken aside from his grandson to avoid embarrasment and the error of this ways pointed out to him.

There is no way I'd go to an unsupervised rifle range. I don't even like going to a supervised one. I'll get up my own out on the prairie and be done with it. I have seen things at rifle ranges in the past that boggle the mind.

among other witnessed feats of genious -

errant shots thru the ceiling
fired wrong ammo in rifle
fired rifle while others were down range
fellow was hiding behind target backer when range went hot
fellow sent child to pick up ammo that rolled off front of shooting bench
semi auto gunfight from a person unable to control weapon
semi auto gunfire from the hip
range caught fire due to unburned black powder left out front of the benches

That is the best teaching lesson ever. I've done that to guy's.
:hit:

They sure do learn fast. Especially when shooting in a covered shooting house.

I for one would have called him out on what a DUMB A@@ his was, for not only endangering his own life but that of the child as well.

I guy that I used to work with came to work one Monday all pissing and moaning about the gestapo range master that gave him hell the day before. When the range went clear he opened the action on his lever action 30-30 and placed it on a table behind the shooting line. When he was done changing his target he then proceeded to load the tube magazine while the rifle was still on the table behind the firing line and the range was still clear. He just couldn't see the problem since the action was open. I have never gone shooting with him after hearing this story, safety comes before everything else.

I hear ya on the idiots at the gun range. I went to knob creek, which is near louisville kentucky and the place was great for an hour or two. Then these two idiots with ARs and their whole arsenal of glocks showed up and started shooting across shooting lanes, shooting other peoples targets, walking out during firing . Needless to say, I went, I saw, and I'm stayin my ass away from that place. I usually go to a military range and its much safer.

I shoot on an unsupervised range at my gun club all the time, and have, on only a few occasions, witnessed rules being broken. When that happens, I believe that we all have the responsibility to politely bring the issue up with that person breaking the rules.

For example, I once witnessed people shooting fist sized rocks at 200 yards. I mentioned that is dangerous because bullets ricochet and can end up flying in the wrong direction.... the person said, "I never thought of that... the rocks are a long ways away and I never thought about that happening". If I were a prick, made him feel bad, or did not say anything at all, nothing would have been learned and something bad may have happened later.... Was he unsafe in doing that? Of course. Did he need to be belittled over it? No.

Assuming someone is an idiot IMHO is not correct. Ever had a bad day? Lots of things on your mind from work? Finding out you or a loved on was just diagnosed with cancer or another bad health condition? Many things can cause even the most responsible person to make a split second mistake. Happens on our highways every day.

At the end of they day, we all enjoy our sport, and want everyone to be safe. As hunters and shooters, alienating or being rude to others can only hurt who we are and what we do. Being polite and educating during a "teachable moment" is always good.

Man do I hear ya on that one!
I stopped going there just after they built the new improved range. It was a joke when it came to having a competent range officer on duty. Worse yet was the range at Pontiac Lake recreation area. They had a female range office there that did could not find her arse with both hands ... even if she could have she couldn't have covered it with 12 hands ... a beefy lass to say the least but her worst attribute was her ignorance of firearms and firearms safety. I joined the private Howell Gun Club 12 years ago and it was the best move I ever made.